SHARE YOUR STORY: Metro Encounter

"It was early evening, around 6 p.m., when I got on the metro to go home. It was the usual rush hour crowd, people standing close together, everyone tired and quiet. I found a spot and tried to focus on my phone, already counting the stops until I could leave. That was when I noticed an elderly man standing across from me. At first, I thought nothing of it. Then I realized he was staring at my legs.

I shifted my position slightly, hoping he would look away. He did not. His gaze stayed fixed, uncomfortable and deliberate. A familiar sense of unease settled in, the kind that makes your body tense even before your mind fully understands why. I decided to move. At the next stop, I stepped into another train car, telling myself that changing places would solve it.

When the metro reached the final stop, I got off and followed the crowd toward the escalators. The station was noisy, filled with footsteps and announcements echoing through the space. As I stood on the escalator, I suddenly felt something brush against me from behind. At first, I assumed it was accidental. Then it happened again, closer this time. I turned around and realized it was the same man. He was standing directly behind me, pressing himself against me.

For a moment, I froze. My mind went blank, caught between shock and fear. I did not know what to say or how to react. Then I turned back around and started walking faster as soon as I reached the top, forcing myself to move. I kept looking over my shoulder, afraid he might still be following me, but I did not see him at that moment.

My hands were shaking as I took out my phone and called my family, asking them to come pick me up from the station. I tried to sound calm. I went upstairs and sat on a nearby bench to wait, telling myself I was safe now. People were around, and the exit felt open and public. Still, every sound made me tense.

After a few minutes, I saw him again. He came up the stairs and walked toward the exit, toward me. My heart started racing. I felt exposed, unable to move. Then, almost at the same time, my family arrived. Without looking at him or making any eye contact, I stood up and got into the car. We drove away.

I never saw him again after that. But the feeling stayed with me. What was supposed to be a normal commute turned into something frightening and unsettling, and it reminded me how quickly a sense of safety can disappear.."

Author: Anonymous